The amount of data transferred between electronic devices has grown tremendously the last several years. Large amounts of audio, streaming video, text, and other types of data content are now regularly transferred among desktop and portable computers, media devices, handheld media devices, displays, storage devices, and other types of electronic devices. Power may be transferred with this data, or power may be transferred separately.
Power and data may be conveyed over cables that may include wire conductors, fiber optic cables, or some combination of these or other conductors. Cable assemblies may include a connector insert at each end of a cable, though other cable assemblies may be connected or tethered to an electronic device in a dedicated manner. The connector inserts may be inserted into connector receptacles in the communicating electronic devices to form pathways for power and data.
But it may not always be a simple task for a user to insert a connector insert into a connector receptacle on an electronic device. For example, a user may be in a dark bedroom at night and may want to insert a connector insert into a connector receptacle on an electronic device. It may be undesirable to turn on a light, for example such illumination may disturb someone else in the room.
Also, it may be difficult to tell a status of an electronic device just by observation. For example, it may be difficult to tell if a battery is charged or if the electronic device is in a silent or sleep mode.
Further, once a connector insert is inserted, it may be difficult to determine if the connector insert has made an electrical connection with the connector receptacle. This may be particularly true when audible prompts have been disabled for the electronic device.
Thus, what is needed are connectors that facilitate the mating of corresponding connectors, particularly when ambient lighting is limited. It may also be desirable that status information for a device housing a connector receptacle may be easily determined.